Joshua 8
1 The Lord said to Joshua, “Don't be afraid or downhearted! Take all the fighting men with you and attack Ai, for I'm handing over to you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.
| וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אַל־תִּירָא וְאַל־תֵּחָת קַח עִמְּךָ אֵת כׇּל־עַם הַמִּלְחָמָה וְקוּם עֲלֵה הָעָי רְאֵה ׀ נָתַתִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶת־מֶלֶךְ הָעַי וְאֶת־עַמּוֹ וְאֶת־עִירוֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ׃ |
2 You will do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. However, this time you may keep for yourselves the plunder and the livestock. Set up an ambush behind the town.”
| וְעָשִׂיתָ לָעַי וּלְמַלְכָּהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לִּֽירִיחוֹ וּלְמַלְכָּהּ רַק־שְׁלָלָהּ וּבְהֶמְתָּהּ תָּבֹזּוּ לָכֶם שִׂים־לְךָ אֹרֵב לָעִיר מֵאַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃ |
3 So Joshua and all the people got ready to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.
| וַיָּקׇם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכׇל־עַם הַמִּלְחָמָה לַעֲלוֹת הָעָי וַיִּבְחַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף אִישׁ גִּבּוֹרֵי הַחַיִל וַיִּשְׁלָחֵם לָֽיְלָה׃ |
4 He ordered them, “You lie in ambush behind the town, not far away. All of you need to be ready.
| וַיְצַו אֹתָם לֵאמֹר רְאוּ אַתֶּם אֹרְבִים לָעִיר מֵאַחֲרֵי הָעִיר אַל־תַּרְחִיקוּ מִן־הָעִיר מְאֹד וִהְיִיתֶם כֻּלְּכֶם נְכֹנִֽים׃ |
5 When I and the rest of the men with me approach the town, the defenders will run out to attack us just like before, and we'll run away from them.
| וַאֲנִי וְכׇל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתִּי נִקְרַב אֶל־הָעִיר וְהָיָה כִּֽי־יֵצְאוּ לִקְרָאתֵנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָה וְנַסְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
6 They'll chase after us as we draw them away from the town, because they'll say to each other, ‘They're running away from us just like before.’
| וְיָצְאוּ אַחֲרֵינוּ עַד הַתִּיקֵנוּ אוֹתָם מִן־הָעִיר כִּי יֹֽאמְרוּ נָסִים לְפָנֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָה וְנַסְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
7 While we're running away from them, you will get up from your ambush positions and take the town for the Lord God will hand it over to you.
| וְאַתֶּם תָּקֻמוּ מֵהָאוֹרֵב וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת־הָעִיר וּנְתָנָהּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃ |
8 Once you've captured the town, set it on fire, as the Lord has instructed. Now follow your orders.”
| וְהָיָה כְּתׇפְשְׂכֶם אֶת־הָעִיר תַּצִּיתוּ אֶת־הָעִיר בָּאֵשׁ כִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה תַּעֲשׂוּ רְאוּ צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶֽם׃ |
9 Joshua sent them out, and they went to lie in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But that night Joshua stayed with the people in the camp.
| וַיִּשְׁלָחֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֵּֽלְכוּ אֶל־הַמַּאְרָב וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בֵּין בֵּֽית־אֵל וּבֵין הָעַי מִיָּם לָעָי וַיָּלֶן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הָעָֽם׃ |
10 Early the next morning Joshua got up early and gathered the people and went up to attack Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.
| וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּפְקֹד אֶת־הָעָם וַיַּעַל הוּא וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הָעָם הָעָֽי׃ |
11 All the fighting men who were with him approached the front of the town, and camped there on the north side, with a valley between them and Ai.
| וְכׇל־הָעָם הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ עָלוּ וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ נֶגֶד הָעִיר וַֽיַּחֲנוּ מִצְּפוֹן לָעַי וְהַגַּי בֵּינָו וּבֵין־הָעָֽי׃ |
12 He took about five thousand men and had them lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the town.
| וַיִּקַּח כַּחֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ וַיָּשֶׂם אוֹתָם אֹרֵב בֵּין בֵּֽית־אֵל וּבֵין הָעַי מִיָּם לָעִֽיר׃ |
13 So the army took up their positions—the main army to the north of the town, and the ambush to the west. Joshua went that night to the valley.
| וַיָּשִׂימוּ הָעָם אֶת־כׇּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה אֲשֶׁר מִצְּפוֹן לָעִיר וְאֶת־עֲקֵבוֹ מִיָּם לָעִיר וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵֽמֶק׃ |
14 As soon as the king of Ai saw the situation, he and all his men rushed out early in the morning to attack the Israelites where they had before, at a place overlooking the Jordan valley. He didn't know about the ambush waiting on the other side of the town.
| וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת מֶֽלֶךְ־הָעַי וַֽיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ וַיֵּצְאוּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־הָעִיר לִקְרַֽאת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַֽמִּלְחָמָה הוּא וְכׇל־עַמּוֹ לַמּוֹעֵד לִפְנֵי הָעֲרָבָה וְהוּא לֹא יָדַע כִּֽי־אֹרֵב לוֹ מֵאַחֲרֵי הָעִֽיר׃ |
15 Joshua and the Israelites allowed themselves to be driven back, and ran away in the direction of the wilderness.
| וַיִּנָּגְעוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיָּנֻסוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ |
16 All the men of the town were called out to chase after them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn father from the town.
| וַיִּזָּעֲקוּ כׇּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר (בעיר) [בָּעַי] לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ אַֽחֲרֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּנָּתְקוּ מִן־הָעִֽיר׃ |
17 There wasn't a man left in Ai and Bethel who didn't go out to chase the Israelites. They left the town wide open as they pursued the Israelites.
| וְלֹא־נִשְׁאַר אִישׁ בָּעַי וּבֵית אֵל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָצְאוּ אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת־הָעִיר פְּתוּחָה וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
18 Then the Lord told Joshua, “Hold up the spear in your hand and point it at Ai, because I'm giving it to you.” So Joshua held up the spear in his hand and pointed it at the town.
| וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נְטֵה בַּכִּידוֹן אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָֽדְךָ אֶל־הָעַי כִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וַיֵּט יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּכִּידוֹן אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדוֹ אֶל־הָעִֽיר׃ |
19 As soon as they saw this signal the men lying in ambush got up and rushed into the town. They captured it, and quickly set it on fire.
| וְהָאוֹרֵב קָם מְהֵרָה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וַיָּרוּצוּ כִּנְטוֹת יָדוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ הָעִיר וַֽיִּלְכְּדוּהָ וַֽיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּצִּיתוּ אֶת־הָעִיר בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ |
20 When the men of Ai looked back they saw the smoke rising up into the sky from the town. They had nowhere to run to, because the Israelites who had been running away towards the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.
| וַיִּפְנוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעַי אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה עָלָה עֲשַׁן הָעִיר הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְלֹא־הָיָה בָהֶם יָדַיִם לָנוּס הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה וְהָעָם הַנָּס הַמִּדְבָּר נֶהְפַּךְ אֶל־הָֽרוֹדֵֽף׃ |
21 For when Joshua and the Israelites saw that the ambush group had captured the town, and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai.
| וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאוּ כִּֽי־לָכַד הָאֹרֵב אֶת־הָעִיר וְכִי עָלָה עֲשַׁן הָעִיר וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁי הָעָֽי׃ |
22 The men from the ambush also came from the town and attacked them, so they were caught on the middle, with the Israelites on both sides. The Israelites cut them down—not a single man survived or got away.
| וְאֵלֶּה יָצְאוּ מִן־הָעִיר לִקְרָאתָם וַיִּֽהְיוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּתָּוֶךְ אֵלֶּה מִזֶּה וְאֵלֶּה מִזֶּה וַיַּכּוּ אוֹתָם עַד־בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִֽיר־לוֹ שָׂרִיד וּפָלִֽיט׃ |
23 Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua.
| וְאֶת־מֶלֶךְ הָעַי תָּפְשׂוּ חָי וַיַּקְרִבוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ |
24 When the Israelites had finished killing the men of Ai who had chased them towards the wilderness—once they had all been cut down by the sword—the whole Israelite army returned to the town and killed everyone living there.
| וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַהֲרֹג אֶת־כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָעַי בַּשָּׂדֶה בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רְדָפוּם בּוֹ וַֽיִּפְּלוּ כֻלָּם לְפִי־חֶרֶב עַד־תֻּמָּם וַיָּשֻׁבוּ כׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעַי וַיַּכּוּ אֹתָהּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ |
25 Those who were killed that day numbered twelve thousand, men and women—all the inhabitants of Ai.
| וַיְהִי כׇל־הַנֹּפְלִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵאִישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אָלֶף כֹּל אַנְשֵׁי הָעָֽי׃ |
26 For Joshua had continued to hold up his spear until all the people of Ai had been destroyed.
| וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא־הֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ אֲשֶׁר נָטָה בַּכִּידוֹן עַד אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱרִים אֵת כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָעָֽי׃ |
27 Only the livestock and plunder were taken from the town by the Israelites, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.
| רַק הַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁלַל הָעִיר הַהִיא בָּֽזְזוּ לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ |
28 So Joshua burned the town of Ai, making it permanently into a heap of ruins where no one lives to this very day.
| וַיִּשְׂרֹף יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת־הָעָי וַיְשִׂימֶהָ תֵּל־עוֹלָם שְׁמָמָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ |
29 He killed the king of Ai and hung his body on a tree until evening. When the sun went down Joshua ordered the body taken down. They threw it down in front of the entrance to the town gate and piled a heap of rocks over it which is still there today.
| וְאֶת־מֶלֶךְ הָעַי תָּלָה עַל־הָעֵץ עַד־עֵת הָעָרֶב וּכְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ צִוָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּרִידוּ אֶת־נִבְלָתוֹ מִן־הָעֵץ וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל־פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הָעִיר וַיָּקִימוּ עָלָיו גַּל־אֲבָנִים גָּדוֹל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ |
30 Then Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal for the Lord, the God of Israel.
| אָז יִבְנֶה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִזְבֵּחַ לַֽיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר עֵיבָֽל׃ |
31 He did what Moses, the servant of the Lord, had told the Israelites to do, as recorded in the book of the Law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones which no one has worked with iron tools. On the altar they made burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶֽבֶד־יְהֹוָה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל וַיַּעֲלוּ עָלָיו עֹלוֹת לַֽיהֹוָה וַֽיִּזְבְּחוּ שְׁלָמִֽים׃ |
32 There in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses.
| וַיִּכְתׇּב־שָׁם עַל־הָאֲבָנִים אֵת מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
33 All the Israelites, the elders, the officers, and the judges stood in two groups facing each other with the priests, the Levites, and the Ark of the Lord's Agreement between them. (Included were the foreigners as well as the native born.) Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim, and half in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses had ordered, for the blessing of the people this first time.
| וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּזְקֵנָיו וְשֹׁטְרִים ׀ וְשֹׁפְטָיו עֹמְדִים מִזֶּה ׀ וּמִזֶּה ׀ לָאָרוֹן נֶגֶד הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי ׀ אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח חֶצְיוֹ אֶל־מוּל הַר־גְּרִזִים וְהַחֶצְיוֹ אֶל־מוּל הַר־עֵיבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד־יְהֹוָה לְבָרֵךְ אֶת־הָעָם יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ |
34 Then Joshua read out the whole Law—all the blessings and curses recorded in the book of the Law.
| וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן קָרָא אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה כְּכׇל־הַכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃ |
35 Joshua read out every word of Moses' instruction to the whole Israelite assembly, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
| לֹא־הָיָה דָבָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קָרָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נֶגֶד כׇּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַגֵּר הַהֹלֵךְ בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃ |
